"Is this entire state uphill?" Murphy complained as we dragged ourselves through the forest.
"Where are we anyway?" I asked.
Warren looked at the map in her hand and said, "According to the map we're in the Black Hills of South Dakota."
"My legs are killing me." Cassandra said as we continued through the forest.
"I wish we had the truck." I groaned.
"At least we got away from the horde." Warren replied.
"There's nothing to kill out here." 10k said.
"Find by me." She said.
"We need to find a place to camo, my dogs are getting tired." Doc huffed as he stretched his muscles.
"Well there's supposed to be a little town nearby called Edgemont. I'll take a compass reading at this next ridge up here." Warren explained.
"Key word supposed to." Murphy sassed.
"If I hear you say one more sarcastic thing exit your mouth I will grab my knife and slice your tongue out." I threatened.
He raised his hands in defence as Doc said, "Can't we take a break?"
"A quick one." Warren spoke.
"Oh my God. Look." Cassandra said as she punted towards the mountains.
"Now who in the hell did that?" Warren said as we all looked at the mountains to see it spray painted with red spray paint.
"Some daredevil with a sick sense of humor." Doc replied.
"Is that Mount Rushmore?" 10k asked.
"This is why we can't have nice things." Murphy said, throwing his hands up.
I slowly shifted my body to face Murphy and glared at him.
"Right sorry." He muttered.
"Probably the same jackass that tagged the liberty bell." Doc stated.
"I think it's awesome." 10k said.
Doc nudged the boy who just smiled.
"If I ever catch who did that, they're gonna get a whooping, come on let's find that town." Warren said.
"I thought we were taking a break?" Doc questioned.
"Break times over." She replied, causing us to groan.
We all started walking which we didn't know would result in a long hike.
"We've been waking for hours." Murphy complained. "Admit it Columbus you're lost."
I huffed and turned towards Murphy.
"I swear to god!" I yelled as I lunged at him.
He jumped back as 10k grabbed me by the waist which stopped me from attacking the virus survivor.
He pulled me into his chest and said, "That's enough we don't need anyone dieing today."
"Yeah give it a rest Murphy I don't blame the kid for wanting to snap your neck." Doc said. "Warren knows where she's going.....you do know where you're going right?"
He turned to Warren who was scanning the map.
"Well we should've hit the town by know." She started. "And for the record, Columbus was lost when he discovered America."
"Yeah well look how that turned out." Murphy said.
He just couldn't help himself.
I tired to jump him but 10k kept his arms locked around my waist so I couldn't go anywhere.
"Hey check this out!" 10k suddenly yelled as he look off into the distance.
We all turned to see some bunkers.
"Well now being doctor bright side for the moment," Doc began. "Maybe there's something useful inside."
"Yeah I guess we can check it out." Warren said.
We started walking again and headed towards the buildings.
"Oh just like home." Murphy said once we saw a normal set of doors and a garage.
"That's it!" I yelled.
I overpowered 10k lunged towards Murphy which resulted in me tackling him turn the ground.
"I am sick of you acting like your some king who can do whatever the fuck he wants! Who can make jokes and act like he's not scared! Well guess what buddy I can see through your fake act and I know deep down inside that small cold heart of yours your scared and are losing hope just like the rest of us!"
Before I could do some real damage on him Warren pulled me off and and yelled. "That's enough! That's enough!"
10k helped me off the ground and kept his arms around my waist once again.
"Now we are all trying to survive out here and we don't need anybody fighting." She said.
"She's the one who went all Rocky II on me." Murphy snapped.
"You just can't help yourself can you." I said.
"Sorry sweetheart it's a habit." He replied.
As we continued to argue a Z came out of nowhere and started to drag itself towards me and Murphy.
When it was feet away I threw my hand up in front of its face and shouted, "Not now!"
It turned and started walking the other way.
When we realised what had happened everything fell silent.
"What the hell was that!" Doc exclaimed.
"I have no idea." I said looking down at my hand.
"Guys shhhh." Cassandra suddenly said.
We looked to where she was pointing and saw a large Z that was close by but hadn't spotted us yet.
"Take cover." Warren whispered.
We all ran and hide behind the side of the home.
"Everyone stay quiet." Warren whispered again.
We all jumped when Murphy let out a sudden fart.
"Sorry it's just got outta me." He apologised.
I could hear the Z coming closer.
"If I die because you farted I am taking you with me!" Doc yelled in a hushed tone.
The Z came around the corner and Doc jumped up and used his pipe, which he has as a weapon, to puke him.
"What the hell!" He said. "It's glowing."
"Its like a zombie ghost." Cassandra said.
"Why is it glowing?" 10k asked.
Suddenly the door of the building nursed open and two people on hazmat suit a sprinted out.
"Don't touch it!" One yelled. "That Z is dangerous!"
"What?" Doc said. "Are they contagious."
"Radioactive." The other corrected.
"How is that possible?" Warren asked as she looked at the strangers.
One of the men lifted his mask and said, "Come on. I'll show you."
We all looked at each other and followed the two strangers in what we now knew was a power plant.
"This is gonna be one of those days, isn't it?" Doc said as he looked around.
"Yep." Warren sighed.
"If you don't mind me asking?" One of the men said. "What were you folks doing wandering around our reactor?"
"We were lost." Murphy said.
"We weren't lost." Warren budded in. "Our vehicle ran out of gas a while back from here. We took a shortcut through he forest so we could avoid the Z's."
"Well you're not lost anymore." The stranger said. "Welcome to Edgemont, South Dakota. Population three. Names Wilbur Gradey, this is my daughter Amelia."
The girl turned to us and smiled. "Nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you too." Warren said. "I'm Warren and this is Murphy, Doc, Cassandra, 10k, and T."
Out of nowhere the man know as Wilbur started coughing.
"Is he okay?" Chief asked.
"No. Radioactive poisoning." His daughter said.
"I'm fine." He assured. "Let's get you folks checked out and get you some food. Our place is down the road."
They took us to their place and check out radiation levels.
"So far you're all good." Wilbur said as he moved on to me. I was the last one.
"Whoa." He said looking at the screen of the machine.
"Is she poisoned?" Amelia asked.
I looked at the group worried.
"No something else is going on." He said turning the screen so we could see.
"See on a normal test." He started as he showed us another screen to compare. "The person's blood is black on the screen. But on hers it is white, the complete opposite."
"So what does that mean?" I asked.
"I have no idea." He said.
"Outside." Warren started. "A Z listened to her."
"What?" Amelia said.
"A Z was approaching and T is it held her hand up and said 'Not now!' and it walked away." Doc explained.
"It seems that something in her blood mixed with the chemicals in the virus have an attraction to each other." Wilbur explained.
"What does that mean?" I asked.
"It's means, by what I have heard, that you have some type of connection with the zombies."
"Sum it up more." I said getting a little annoyed.
"You can control them." He blurted out. "Supposedly."
"Well it's been nice metering you But we have places to be." Murphy began. "Places that aren't within 300 miles of here."
"Have fun with." Responded "Every vehicle town is either out of gas or broken down."
"Then we better get walking." He argued.
"You won't make, we have 48 hours before the core starts to melt down."
"Then why are you still here?" Cassandra asked.
"There is still a chance that we can shut this thing down and save a big chuck of gods country from being irradiated for the next 10,000 years. Beside I'm already a goner." Wilbur explained.
"Well what about your daughter?" Murphy asked. "Did she sign up for a suicide mission too."
"I'm sticking with my dad." Amelia argued.
"I told her go but she wouldn't listen." Wilbur said.
"I'm a pilot, I'll fly us out of the hot zone." She said.
"Well perfect well is it hitch a ride." Murphy said.
Amelia pulled back the cloth to reveal the plane.
"As you can see there's only enough room for one passenger. And I have enough bullets for all of you so if you get any ideas......" Wilbur trailed off.
"Mr Grady, Wilbur." Warren started. "I know it's doesn't look like it but this man.....this man is the only known survivor of a zombie bite."
"Thought there was something wrong with him, and her may I add." He laughed.
"His blood carries to antibodies for the zombie virus." Warren said. "He's out last hope for humanity."
"Yeah right and I'm the Easter bunny." He argued.
Murphy lifted up his shirt to reveal the multiple zombie bites.
"Oh my God." Amelia said In shock.
"Now look man." Doc began. "This dude here is the real deal. And a lot people got killed getting him this far."
"So tell us what we have to do to shut down that reactor so we can be on our way." Warren said.
Wilbur cooperated and guided us back to the reactor.
"Here's the plan. I need to get to the control room to see why the cooling rods aren't dropping down the stop the reaction. I haven't been able to get in there cause of this gauntlet of zombies. That's why I need your help."
"Killing zombies is what we do." Warren said.
"Radiation level are only slightly elevated our side the containment building. So you should be safe for at least two minutes. Long enough to get me to the door and retreat back here. The Z's are very contaminated. One hug and you'll be dead within hours."
"Don't huh the zombies, got it." Doc said.
"10k, T, and Murphy you guys stay out here. In case we don't make it back we need you two to get him to California." Warren directed.
We nodded and the rest of them headed into the reactor.
10k shot a zombie that was at the door. "2304." He mumbled.
We waited for at least twenty minutes before everyone but Wilbur came out.
"I'm almost to the control room." Wilbur's voice said over the radio.
"Keep going dad." Amelia said back.
"No what?" Doc asked.
"We wait." Amelia said.
A while later the gates open and Wilbur came limping through.
"I didn't make it." He told his daughter.
"Dad dad no you have to an okay!" His daughter cried.
I could feel the virus pulsing through his veins. He was right about my blood being connected to the virus.
"Amelia get back he's go man turn." I said.
"How do you know?" She asked.
"I can feel it." I said. "In my blood."
Amelia backed up and Doc comforted her as she cried.
Warren pulled her gun out and have him mercy.
We buried him to make his daughter feel better and regrouped.
"Now what." I said. "We still need to shut that thing off and it's too late to run for it."
"So we shut it off." Warren said.
"How? Gradey is the only one who knew how to." 10k said.
"Three." I said. "Amelia your father said there was three of you here who else is here?"
"There's another new guy named Homer but he won't talk to you." She replied. "He's got a home about a hundred years away from here, he's crazy, has tea is everywhere."
"Then some of us will go." Warren said. "But not Murphy. If he does then the whole mission is over. Murphy, T, and 10k you stay here. Amelia you lead the rest of us to Homer."
We all agreed and Amelia led the rest of the group off toward a Homer.
"You said you could feel it." 10k suddenly said. "That he was gonna turn. How?"
"I don't know." I replied. "I just......did. Maybe Wilbur was right about the chemicals in my blood being connected to the virus and the Z's. I mean, that rouge one listened to me."
"You might be able to control Z's but that doesn't mean we gotta keep you alive." Murphy said. "I have the vaccine so I'm the one everyone needs to worry about."
"Okay." I said turning to him. "I am done. I am done with you I am done with all of this shit. I was never even supposed to be on this mission in the first place. The into reason I'm here is because my home was invaded by Z's."
"Your home, you mean a bar and a gun show." Murphy said.
"This is the part where you zip it!" I yelled as I stepped closer to him.
He actually seemed......frightened, for once.
"I have been through more he'll and pain then you know and I'm not gonna sit here and deal with all the shit, that comes out of your mouth!" I shouted. "I was better alone when this all started, I've always been better at keeping to myself and never letting anyone in because it always result in something bad! So, I'm leaving. And when you need someone to finish your battles or to protect you when you can't, don't come crawling back to me."
I grabbed my back pack and out in on my back where my katana was. I made sure I had my guns in my belt and started to walk off.
"Whoa whoa whoa." 10k said running in front of me leaving Murphy far behind.
"You're not seriously leaving are you?"
"I have to 10k." I said softly. "I'm better off on my own."
"But you stayed with Sketchy and Skeezy, stay with us." He argued.
"I might have stayed with them but I always kept to myself." I said. "I've never opened up to people or let anyone in 10k."
"Tommy." He blurted out. "My......my real name is Tommy. Just don't tell anyone."
"I won't be around to." I replied.
"Please stay. You don't have to do it for Warren or.....or Murphy but do it for me. Please T"
"I can't." I protested. "I promise, I'll find my way back to you."
I could practically see the sadness in his eyes.
"Theodosia." I informed him. "That's my real name. Don't tell the others."
10k was about to protest but I stood on my toes and pressed my lips against his.
He was shocked at first but soon I felt his hand grip my torso as he kissed back. I intertwined my hands on the back of his neck as I pulled back.
I leaned by his ear and whispered, "Take care of yourself Tommy, for me."
Before he could say anything else I stepped and back and started jogging away.
I felt a tear slip from my eye as I kept running and didn't look back.
10k P.O.V
She kissed me.
She actually kissed me.
And then she left.
"You!" I yelled as I ran over to Murphy.
"You! This is all your fault!"
Before he could say anything back to me I tackled him to the ground.
I started punching him in the face numerous times until he was bleeding from his nose.
"Hey! Hey! What's going on here?!" Warrens voice yelled as rapid footsteps sounded in my ear.
I still kept punching Murphy even when she continued to yelled.
Eventually I was pulled off of Murphy by Warren and Doc.
"What so going on here?" Warren asked.
"He tackled me!" Murphy yelled.
"Its your fault!" I yelled struggling in Doc's grasp. "You drove her to her limit you made her leave!"
"Who 10k! Who!" Warren yelled over my voice.
"T!" I screamed causing everything to fall silent.
"Where is she?" Warren asked calmly.
"She left." I said. "Because of him." I pointed to Murphy.
"What did you do?" She asked Murphy.
When he didn't answer I answered for him.
"He said that just because she can control Z's that she's not special. That he's who we have to keep alive and not her. That she doesn't have to live." I explained.
"Why would you say that?" Doc asked.
Murphy couldn't come up with an excuse.
"She gave you so many chances." I said. "So many. And in the end you just couldn't keep your mouth shut."
"10k, I know you're mad right now but we are on limited time here." Warren said. "We have to shut down the reactor."
"Fine. But if he's in trouble." I said motioning towards Murphy. "Don't expect me to come to his rescue."
I yanked my arm away from Doc and walked off.
I can't believe Murphy made her leave.
She's gone.
She's really gone.
And I don't think she's coming back.
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Three chapters in one day!